After 27 years of working as a casting director for famous music videos, TV, and films including Being Mary Jane, Fruitvale Station, and Southside With You, Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd releases her first film as a director, writer, and producer, The Counter: 1960. The Counter: 1960 is a short film inspired by and motivated to bridge all races, cultures, and generations. Co-written and co-produced by Ashley Jackson and produced by Kimberly L. Ogletree, The Counter: 1960 hopes to create a change within the film industry by bringing light to such less represented narratives.

The film has been selected for screening in the 26th Annual Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival, as well as the 10th Annual Jaipur International Film Festival in India. In addition, it has received Gold and Silver Awards at the LA Shorts Awards and the NYC Indie Film Awards in 2017. Based off of a true story, the film begins with three North Caroline University students, Joseph (Jerod Haynes), Diane (Ashley Jackson), and Franklin (Etienne Maurice), who are completely frustrated by a constant string of police killing of the unarmed black youth. They decide to meet and think of what it is students like them can do to contribute to positive change. The film’s plotline unravels through a bridging between different temporal backgrounds and settings.

About Taji Mag

Taji Mag is the physical embodiment of the positive Black experience. Our brand embodies the traditional and modern royalty of Pan-African people via our quarterly print and digital publication and live events. While reclaiming OUR narratives and imagery, Taji offers our readers quality advice to assist them economically, healthy options to maintain a happy lifestyle, think pieces to test the societal norms that are not meant for us, #BlackLoveConvo to increase the self and communal love in all aspects, and beauty and fashion inspiration to sustain the legacy of our Black artistry.
View all posts by Taji Mag →